Open Left

Good on them for taking a position that the President... (4.00 / 1)

agrees with!... ??? ...

LOL.  I don't understand.  The President has been in favor of a strong public option from day one.  What's everyone getting so up in arms about?

Geez.

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by: russtc3 @ Tue Jul 07, 2009 at 20:45:17 PM CDT

it's not that simple. (4.00 / 9)

and this from someone who generally defends obama's actions here.  

the white house definitely has spoken in favor of the public plan, but hasn't drawn a line in the sand, going so far as to express a willingness to compromise on this point in order to win republican support.  so, there was (and still is) a real risk that obama would go along with a 'trigger,' or with the co-ops proposal.  

a lot depends on the balance of forces in congress.  and what is so exciting is that progressive democrats + sanders have started drawing a line in the sand, making it all but impossible for a bill to be passed without the public plan.

i imagine that we will see a few more acts in this drama before it is all done, with conservadems threatening to vote against cloture if the bill isn't watered down, but it is starting to look like they may finally be in a weak negotiating position vis-a-vis the progressives.  a lot still hinges on what the democratic leadership does, especially rahm and obama.  so, pressure is still needed.  

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by: seabrook @ Tue Jul 07, 2009 at 20:51:48 PM CDT

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This is some momentum in the right direction, but ... (4.00 / 2)

... there's a long way to go.  I remember the twists and turns of the despicable FISA retroactive bill that eventually got passed.  I remember the pope of hope coming out against that as well, but as usual he acquiesced to corporate interests and voted for it anyway.  

Notice how this got started, Bernie Sanders got the Senate moving in this direction.  He's the best Senator in this country.

Z    

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by: Z @ Tue Jul 07, 2009 at 21:12:08 PM CDT

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Things Obama agrees with (4.00 / 14)

Like the Employee Free Choice Act? Defeated.

Like cramdown? Defeated?

Like 100% auction cap and trade? Defeated.

Like D.C. voting rights? In eternal limbo.

Obama supporting something doesn't magically turn it into law. In the case of health care reform, the Progressive Block strategy is designed to force the White House and the Democratic congressional leadership to whip conservative Democrats into line, or else there is no deal.

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by: Chris Bowers @ Tue Jul 07, 2009 at 20:56:37 PM CDT

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What matters is making sure everyone knows that the truth will be told, and the American people have made demands. (4.00 / 1)

We can join a lot of people who have been pushing this way, each in their own way, but its the engaged public thats the sole source of the push.

Change
"We must break up the banks and never again let them get so big that they distort our politics and take down the economy.

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by: HousesofProgress @ Tue Jul 07, 2009 at 21:03:54 PM CDT

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Not to mention... (4.00 / 9)

  ...that Obama "supporting" a particular issue doesn't necessarily mean he's going to the mat to fight for it, as evidenced by his unfierce unadvocacy for gay rights...

  (Was EFCA defeated, or just kicked down the road? I seem to recall it was the latter but my memory might not serve me well.)

   

"We judge ourselves by our ideals; others by their actions. It is a great convenience." -- Howard Zinn

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by: Master Jack @ Tue Jul 07, 2009 at 21:17:10 PM CDT

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Kicked down the road... (0.00 / 0)

...in the hope of more Senate democrats down the road...

REID: Voting against us was never part of our arrangement!
SPECTER: I am altering the deal! Pray I don't alter it any further!
REID: This deal keeps getting worse all the time!

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by: lord_mike @ Tue Jul 07, 2009 at 21:57:35 PM CDT

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Huh? (0.00 / 0)

The Admin did nothing while Dems who voted for it previously slowly announced their opposition.  I understand the argument that you couldn't bring it to a vote until Franken was seated, but long before that happened we lost a lot of votes we had previously.  Unless Franken gets 15 votes or so, I fail to see how this was a strategy of hoping for more Senate Dems.  

I make no claim to know why they did it, but EFCA died while the Franken saga unfolded, and the Admin did nothing to stop it.  Even if its not dead, it will be far harder to switch all those Dems back then it would have been to hold them in the first place.

Who are the best keepers of the people's liberties? The people themselves. The sacred trust can be no where so safe as in the hands most interested in preserving it.
James Madison

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by: David Kaib @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 18:52:07 PM CDT

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You're right on 1/4 (4.00 / 1)

1) EFCA hasn't come up yet.
2) Cramdown, yes, you're right. But I don't find it as big an issue.
3) Defeated is the wrong word.  Most of what he wanted is there.  Why doesn't anyone else fight for it?  Plus nothing's definite yet.
4) Yeah it's in limbo.  Doesn't mean it won't happen.

My point is that they're tapping themselves on the back because the White House informed them of the position they've held since day one because they had to clear up an issue that had to do with the WSJ twisting the facts. <--rambling intended.

Nothing changed.

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by: russtc3 @ Wed Jul 08, 2009 at 00:31:25 AM CDT

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I see (4.00 / 4)

Carmdown, which would have allowed hundreds of thousands of people to say in their homes, isn't inportant.

And yes, card check is dead.

Your basic point, as far as I gather, is that if Obama supports something, then it will become law and we can all relax and smile as we watch it magically happen.

That is a position that even President Obama wouldn't agree with.

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by: Chris Bowers @ Wed Jul 08, 2009 at 01:45:29 AM CDT

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Well, yeah, if it makes you feel better you can lie (4.00 / 1)

1) "I don't find it as big an issue" does not equal "isn't important"

2) Card check isn't dead.

3) Didn't say that.

4) I would agree, which is why I didn't make that point.

What I am saying is that just because you think bitching, moaning and distorting the truth of President Obama's position will help your cause, doesn't make it so.

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by: russtc3 @ Wed Jul 08, 2009 at 14:34:41 PM CDT

[ Parent | ]